Under cover of darkness, a 95-tonne forged steel container carrying nuclear waste was lifted off a ship at Port Kembla and onto the back of a truck and driven through Wollongong’s streets to Lucas Heights.

Roads along the route were closed and hundreds of police were involved in the operation.

Then Ports Minister Joe Tripodi said the nuclear convoy passed through “without incident” but a worker at the port claimed one of the containers holding the fuel roads hit the side of the truck as it was being loaded onto the ship.

Regarding the upcoming removal of the fuel rods, Lucas Heights’ OPAL reactor manager Dave Vittorio said they will be stored in secure casks.

“These casks are purpose-engineered to safely transport this type of material without risk to people or the environment,” Mr Vittorio said.

“Even a jet plane strike could not penetrate them.”

This would be the 10th time spent nuclear fuel has been exported from Australia.